Syrian diplomat in Geneva defects, Swiss media say

August 13, 2012|Reuters

GENEVA, Aug 13 (Reuters) - A junior Syrian diplomataccredited to the United Nations in Geneva has defected, Swissmedia said on Monday, the latest member of Syria's establishmentknown to have turned against President Bashar al-Assad during anuprising against his rule.

Dany Al Ba'aj is listed as third secretary at the Syrianmission to the U.N. in Geneva, where he was part of itsdelegation to the Human Rights Council. He is not known to haveaddressed the 47-member forum, which has condemned Assad'sgovernment four times during the conflict.

"I announced my resignation on Friday on a Syrian web siteand informed the Syrian charge d'affaires in Geneva," the Swissnews agency ATS quoted him as saying.

"I was in contact with an opposition group for some time.The situation continues to worsen. I felt that I could no longerserve my country in the government camp," he said, adding thathe was not seeking asylum in Switzerland but his parents werewith him in Geneva.

The highest-level civilian defection from the Assadadministration to date has been Prime Minister Riyad Hijab, whofled Syria with his family on Aug. 6.

But the rate of public defections has been much slower thanthe speed at which officials turned their backs on MuammarGaddafi's Libyan government last year, something that those whohave defected attribute to fear.